There have been various types and kinds of publicly used safes for the storage of valuables. Such safes have been employed, for example, in hotels and motels, as "in-room" safes, for use by the guests.
While such safes may have been generally satisfactory for some applications, it would be highly desirable to have such a safe that may be suitable for in-room use, as well as for personal or office use. Such a safe should be not only constructed in such a manner to be very secure, but also relatively inexpensive to manufacture. In this regard, even though it must be relatively inexpensive, such as by tools used to invade forceably, or otherwise, the protected interior of the safe. Prior known publicly used safes were expensive to manufacture, because of the labor intensive manufacturing techniques employed in an attempt to provide for the necessary security.
Additionally, the safe should have rapid access capabilities, as well as alternate access, in a convenient and reliable manner. In this regard, it would be highly desirable to have such a safe that employs an electronically controlled locking mechanism, to enable the door to be released quickly and conveniently by entering an access code in a key pad mounted on the front of the safe door. Additionally, should the user forget the access code, or the electronic control inadvertently malfunctions, a convenient and reliable alternative access mode should be provided.
It is of further importance to the present invention that, especially when the safe is intended for public use, it be adapted for fast and efficient repair or maintenance at the site by authorized personnel. In this regard, it is highly desirable to have a safe that can be repaired or replaced quickly so as not to inconvenience the user unduly.